Chapter Thirty-Six
Saturday, 13 th January
Rico strode through reception and out to the front driveway to check that everything was ready. Today was the test for the new Lakeside Spa Hotel, and in a couple of hours’ time, nine or ten cars would be vying for space on the snowy ground. He pulled a wry face. It was a good job all this was happening in January, when the ground was frozen, because underneath the snow was frozen mud, which would be a lot less attractive. They’d have to deal with it sooner or later, of course, but for the moment, the old wooden chalet was looking both Swiss and swish, with windows polished to match the polished wooden floors in reception and the restaurant. Pretty good, Lakeside.
The worry about his upcoming scan had retreated into a permanently nauseating niggle in the background. He still woke up at night, soaked in sweat after a dream about his mother’s last illness, but really, he was worrying about nothing… he hoped. Rico’s shoulders slumped. He didn’t know, and that was the problem. He and Stacy were both being upbeat and stiff-upper-lip-ish about it, though she told him not to worry at least once a day. He had come to depend on this in pretty much the same way a kid would depend on its mother chasing the monsters from under the bed. If Stacy said it would be okay, then it would. The problem was, he could read the expression in her eyes, and it was telling him she wasn’t happy. And while it was tempting to fling himself into her arms and howl – and he sensed now she might even be happy to comfort him if he did – he wasn’t going to start anything at all with her unless the scan was clear. If it wasn’t, he would need a shoulder to hang onto, but it wouldn’t be Stacy’s. No, he’d head straight for Lugano and Dad’s shoulder. They would keep the hurt in the family.
Rico set his shoulders and went back inside. Today was Lakeside’s day.
Judging by the murmur of voices, Stacy and Emily were in the spa, and he wandered in to see if they needed a hand. Things were looking good here. The hairdressing and facial booths were ready to go for the first guests in a week’s time, and the spa was ready to go this afternoon. Lush green plants separated the tubs, and towels and robes for the afternoon visitors were waiting in the changing rooms. Emily was standing in the doorway of Stacy’s medical room, her back to him, and Rico was about to join them when he heard his name, and ducked behind a large plant.
‘…with Rico. You mustn’t worry, Stace. You do that way too much about everything, you know you do.’
Hot anger coursed through Rico. Hell on earth. Stacy must have told Emmy about his scans. Shit, how could she? The last thing he wanted was people looking at him with pity on their faces as they remembered poor Mum. He strode up to the medical room and fixed his eyes on Stacy.
‘Can I have a word before we start the afternoon?’
Emily turned to go. ‘I’ll head on upstairs. I guess Alan’ll be back now.’
Alan had gone into the village with Ralph to buy a quiche for lunch. Emily vanished towards the lift, and Rico glared at Stacy.
‘What the shit have you been saying?’
‘Huh? Who to?’
She looked completely taken aback, which infuriated him even more. Wasn’t her promise important enough to remember? Obviously, she wasn’t the person he’d thought she was.
‘You told Emily about my scans!’
‘I did not! Whatever gave you that idea?’
Now she sounded as angry as he was. It was Rico’s turn to be taken aback. ‘I heard her say not two minutes ago that you mustn’t worry about me.’
She wasn’t looking at him. ‘You heard wrong. What she actually said was that I shouldn’t worry about the opening because I could leave things to you, as you’re so good at all this. It seems you’re not nearly as good at believing people’s promises, though.’ She swept past him and out through the spa.
Rico stood still, working out what Emily must have said. You can leave it with Rico. You mustn’t worry … Hell. He sped after Stacy.
‘Stacy! I’m sorry. I heard half a sentence and guessed the rest. I got it wrong, that’s all.’
‘That’s not the point. You thought I’d go back on a promise.’
He leaned on the lift door as they went up. ‘It was in the heat of the moment. I’m sorry.’
She nodded, but she didn’t meet his eyes, and scurried into the flat without replying. Kicking himself for being hasty and stupid, Rico followed, but she went straight into her room and closed the door.
‘Quiche in ten,’ said Emily, who was tossing salad in the kitchen. She smiled at him, and Rico kicked himself again. It was all too clear now that she didn’t know about his scans – Emily wouldn’t pretend everything was fine when she knew it wasn’t. She’d have said something when he joined them downstairs, even if it was just, ‘Sorry you’re having a complicated time, Rico’. Now he had hurt Stacy, and while he wanted to keep her at arm’s length, he didn’t want to hurt her, not ever.
He wheeled round and lifted his hand to tap on her door, then stopped. No. Until he knew what was going on inside his chest, it was best if he kept his distance.
‘Grub’s up!’ Emily called from the kitchen.
Rico rushed into the kitchen before Stacy came out and found him in front of her bedroom door. She came in a moment later, smiling, but her eyes were dull. Rico’s gut churned anew.
She was a nurse. Did she know something about his condition – if he had one – that he didn’t?
***
The spa was in huge demand right from the word go that afternoon, and Stacy was kept busy explaining how the tubs worked, and how they intended to use them with hotel guests. Rico and Ralph were mingling, and Karen was greeting new arrivals in reception. Nearly everyone wanted to try the tubs, and Stacy almost tied herself in knots at first, trying to keep an eye on everything and make sure no one went into the water clutching a coffee cup – she had to persuade one woman not to. They’d have to add that to the list of instructions for spa-users, maybe even put up a notice or two. Fortunately, things calmed down after the first hour and she could relax and wander round her new workspace chatting to her guests, now up to their necks in warm water and having a much better time than she was.
It was on her second circuit of the room that she noticed one woman looking rather hot and bothered in the eight-seater tub. Stacy took a quick look at her guest list. This was Doris Bossart, wife of the head of the plumbing company. She went over and touched the woman’s shoulder.
‘Okay, Doris?’
‘A bit hot, dear, but it’s lovely after all the snow we’ve had this winter.’ Doris was smiling, but the sheen of sweat on her face was more than on anyone else’s, and a little pulse on her temple was throbbing. She spoke in Swiss German, and Stacy reflected what a good thing it was she’d had enough sessions with Kim and the boys to understand basic stuff like this, even if she had to reply in High German.
‘Out you come and have a drink. I have some iced tea at the side.’ Stacy grasped the older woman’s arm and supported her out of the tub and into her bathrobe.
‘I’ll keep your place warm for you,’ called her husband, who was sitting on the other side of the tub. He winked at the others. ‘It’s her age.’
Jeez… what a berk the man was. Stacy barely managed to smile politely. She signalled to Rico as she led her new patient into the medical room, half-closing the door to give them some privacy.
Doris fanned herself with her hand as Stacy took her blood pressure. ‘Uff! That’s better. Where’s that drink you promised me?’
‘Two minutes. Your blood pressure’s on the high side – have you had problems with it? Any medication?’
Doris shook her head. ‘Nothing. Should I have medication? It would be the heat in the tub, that’s all.’
Stacy fetched her a glass of the iced tea she had in the little fridge. ‘I’m sure you’re right, but you should see your doctor. High blood pressure is easily treated, but it can be dangerous if you leave it too long. Promise you’ll get it checked?’
‘Can it wait until Monday?’
Stacy smiled. ‘We’ll keep an eye on it for a bit, then I’ll tell you! I’m sure you’ll be fine.’
She left Doris sitting with her feet up sipping iced tea, and went back to the main spa, where Rico was wandering round chatting to people. She met his eye and nodded, and he smiled vaguely and turned away to talk to a reporter from the local paper. Stacy pressed her lips together. The way he’d assumed she had broken a promise still stung. The new rapport they’d found was gone, and it was horrible – here she was, well on the way to falling in love with Rico, but she was too late. It was clear he no longer wanted her. Who would spend weeks on end wanting someone who treated him the way she had, going out with Martin, not letting him close to her? No wonder he’d thought she’d told Emily about his scan. He must feel he didn’t know her at all. The bond she’d imagined recently was just him being vulnerable after his accident. She was the employee; he was the boss. End of story.
Doris’s high blood pressure was the only incident as the afternoon went on, and by four o’clock most people were in the restaurant having coffee and Black Forest gateau. Alone in the spa, Stacy switched the tubs off and checked no one had left anything. A practice run like this had been a great idea, and they still had a week to sort out the issues that had risen.
‘Is that the tubs part finished?’ Emily came out of the restaurant as Stacy went back into reception.
‘Yes. People go home now to change for dinner, or if they live too far away we’ve given them a room here,’ said Stacy. She leaned on the desk, fanning herself with one of the brochures set out there. ‘I’m bushed already! It’s hot work, looking after a spa. Come on. We have glad rags to change into.’
Dinner was for forty people, as some of the hotel employees were coming too, as well as a few friends like Kim and Tobias. Stacy watched Ralph as he went from table to table after the main course, laughing and chatting with the guests, making them feel good. He was a people person; this was his area of expertise. Edie had been the practical one, the planner and organiser. Ralph was the people person. She could learn a lot from him.
She was doing a round too, later, when she bumped into Kim on her way back from the loo. The other woman pulled Stacy to the side.
‘Is everything all right between you and Rico? You seem – different with each other.’
Hell, here was another person she was aching to tell, but couldn’t. Stacy compromised in the same way she had with Emily.
‘There’s been a bit of a problem, but it’s not mine to tell you about.’
Kim’s eyes were shrewd. ‘Okay. You know where I am, huh?
Stacy hugged her. ‘You’re a gem.’
The evening was a roaring success and Stacy joined in the applause for Rico’s speech, reflecting that this was the second time she’d heard him speak to the room like this, and today she’d understood a whole lot more than at the aperitif in October. Okay, back then he’d spoken Swiss German, and today it was High German for the handful of non-Swiss guests, but still. Another few months and she’d be able to chat more in Swiss German too, hopefully. And then her year would soon be up – oh, glory.
It was after eleven when the guests started leaving, and Stacy mingled with them in the hallway along with Rico and Ralph. While Ralph was his usual jovial self, Rico’s smile wasn’t quite hitting his eyes. No wonder Kim had noticed something. Stacy hovered nearby, in case anyone else noticed and she could leap in to help him out. He would hate it if his fears became public. Ralph’s laugh boomed out as the last couple of people left, and Stacy caught Rico’s eye.
‘I wish you’d tell him, Rico,’ she said in a low voice.
‘No. Not until I have the new scan. And not another word about it, please.’
He wheeled round, strode into the empty spa, and grabbed a stray towel to wipe his eyes. Stacy had to force back her own tears, not to mention her fears. They were both worrywarts, and two worrywarts would only egg each other into more worry. So it was as well they had a – neutral – relationship. But it was impossible not to feel anxious. Her nursing training had shown her all too often that bad things happen to good people.